The Guilds of Menevia
Home to many notable guilds, these have been on the rise with the increasing influence of the middle-class since the Third Era. Synonymous with the city's government, they are essential to its functioning. While there are numerous guilds, Menevians have coined the term "The Group of Six" for the city's most influential and promient guilds, of which cover the judiciary, trade, industry, finance and medicine. These are: The Rosegarden-Cottans - judiciary, law The Beaufoys - restoration, medicine, surgery The Maisborns - miners, masons, builders The Arkwrights - shipbuilders, maritime trade The Leventhrops - Banks, moneylenders, bookkeepers, auditors, insurers The Vidics - spices, herbs, agriculture The Scholastic Guilds 'The Worshipful Society of Scriveners and Solicitors' Commonly referred as the Lawyer’s Guild, it is one of the most powerful and high-ranking guilds in Menevia. Despite being called a "guild," they are more so the judiciary of Menevia. It is home to barristers, solicitors, court scriveners and scribes, notaries, and bailiffs. Its guildhall is located in the city centre of Menevia. While there are some members of the gentry within the guild, its middle-class members are growing, even coming to vastly outnumber their aristocratic counterparts. Its major law-courts are located at the heart of the city; brilliantly made and designed by the Masons’ Guild. The Lawyers hold their law-courts in high regard, the stonework being woven with magic. While the law-courts are some distance apart, they are connected though an underground complex designed and maintained by the Masons. This is where criminals are taken from the gaols to the courts safely – for their own purpose, and the purpose of the public. The guild in past times was regulated by the central government in terms of professional conduct of its members. This has long since changed, the guild now more or less claiming judicial competence over its own lawyers and notaries, and coming to regulate its services itself. Considered a prestigious ‘scholastic’ guild, the requirements to join it are strict and with high expectations. Lawyers must have attended a university and acquired a law degree. To become barristers they are to have practiced as solicitors for three years, frequent an Inn of Court before undertaking a highly competitive bar exam. Once they pass, they are made pupil-barristers, and are assigned a mentor during their pupillage at the City of Menevia Law School. Notaries are to study for two years beforehand before taking a rigorous examination of three-parts. These demanding prerequisites, and the focus on academia give its members the status of being educated. While The Blessed Fraternity for Public Order and Security (commonly known as the city-watch) are considered a separate body from the Lawyer’s Guild that receive commission from the Count, the guild maintains a close-working relationship with the fraternity. It caen be argued that the city-watch is their ‘unofficial’ militia due to this relationship, especially with the Master of the Rolls having his son as the Marshal of the Watch. The most prominent and powerful family (or rather, families) within the Lawyer’s Guild are the Rosegardens and Cottans. Both being from the middle-class, sharing a rigid determination and with a mind for excellence, they have formed a close, family-like bond. The Rosegarden-Cottan dynamic have been in power for generations (about as old as the county itself), one member of each family always retaining the two highest titles in the guild. It is noted that the Rosegardens make for excellent lawyers and barristers; and the Cottans make for competent judges and justices. Headed by the Patriarch and his subordinate, the Exalted Master. They are by default members of the Court of Aldermen. 'The Worshipful Society on the Fabrics and Mysteries of the Anatomies, the Restorative Arts, Physic and Chiurgurie.' Known commonly as the Physician’s Guild, or rather, the Healer’s Guild, it is ran by the Beaufoy family. Its members consist of doctors of physic and surgery, midwives, anatomists, coroners, morticians and embalmers. Closely linked with the Cathedral of Arkay, many guild members find themselves as part of the congregation. Due to this relationship, the churches have since built hospitals occupied by priests, priestesses, physicians and midwives alike – but to some, there is little difference among them. A guild built on academia, on the arcane, the craft, and the Faith – they are considered to be (somewhat) a religious body in and of itself. Originally just the Anatomists’ Guild, it rose to prominence after the Warp in the West and joining with the Mages’ Guild. This allowed its apprentices to study at the University of Wayrest, where they received a prestigious education. Upon their return, they would expand their studies, mixing medical knowledge, practical skill and the arcane before becoming Masters themselves. This layer of academia and foundation facilitates its students to growing into high skilled healers. Since then, to ever be considered a physician’s apprentice themselves, it is expected that students attend the University. Much like the Rosegarden-Cottan lawyers, association with the Physician’s Guild gives one the status of being educated. Headed by the Arch-Magister. The Craft Guilds 'The Worshipful Company of Masons, Marblers, Sculptors, Painters and Glassworkers.' The Masons are guild of artists, architects and builders led by the Maisborn family. They use local granite and sandstone to construct many of their buildings and the city walls. Their artists benefit from the gathered minerals, most of which are used to create paints. But even greater, are how the paints appear on canvas; there is a certain shine, a vibrancy to them – something that is just…a little different. The paints are, after all spell-woven. This in combination with the guild’s enchanted stonemasonry and the proclivity towards fresco paintings certainly make their works of art a truly magical sight to see. Further to this, they look after – and have built - the underground complex beneath the City of Menevia, and are the only ones in possession of a full working map which they guard jealously. This complex is also what connects the courts-of-law, gaols and city-watch barracks throughout the City. But this is by far as much the public knows about the complex; and they are strictly forbidden from ever entering. Even those that are given access dare not wander too far, for fear of becoming lost – and never found. It is said that the stones used to build the tunnels themselves are woven with magic, and the whole complex rumbles with it. Their sculptures and frescoes are seen in locations of significance and importance; the Library, the courts of law, Castle Menevia, the guildhalls, churches and so forth. Some sculptures are carved and chiselled into the building itself, becoming a part of it. This is seen with the city wall, where their largest sculptures have been added to wall-towers, each featuring a saint facing into the city. Running along the top of the wall are carvings depicting Menevia’s history. It is considered a grave crime to so much as vandalise a work of art (from fresco to sculpture). When such happens, the Mason militiamen sharpen their knives, the city-watch gaoler opens a cell, and the Rosegarden-Cottan lawyers roll up their sleeves. Headed by a Grandmaster. 'The Blessed Company of Steelworkers, Ironmongers, Silversmiths, Jewellers and Cutlers. ' 'The Blessed Company of Carpenters, Upholders, Joiners and Bowyers. ' The Merchant Guilds 'The Worshipful Company of Merchant Voyagers of the City of Menevia' Like the Roycroft's, they are shipbuilders and have a hold over Menevia's merchant vessels. Headed by the Arkwright family. (I'll add more later) 'The Worshipful Company of Spicers, Alchemists, Apothecaries and Herbalists. ' Simply known as the Spicers’ Guild, it is headed by the Vidic family. A guild dedicated to groceries and alchemy. Responsible for the distribution and production of vegetables, crops, herbs, tea and spices, making it one of the largest and richest merchant guilds. Also responsible for the apothecaries, and the apprenticeship of alchemists. Due to this aspect in healing, the Spicers maintain a close relationship with the Healer’s Guild. It is common for a member from the Physician’s Guild to have received some training from the Spicers, and very often the alchemists and physicians are found to be working together. Headed by the Patriarch. 'Leventhrop Banking House' By far the wealthiest guild, and a largely influential and prominent one at that; its influence is felt across the county, spreading out into towns. Many members of the gentry favour becoming company men of this guild. But in spite of this, much like the Lawyer’s Guild, the Bankers number greatly in its middle-class members. The Leventhrops are partnered with the Taults of Wayrest. Headed by the Grandmaster, who is by default a member of the Court of Aldermen. 'The Worshipful Company of Fishmongers, Poulters, Barbers and Butchers.' 'The Worshipful Company of Drapers, Haberdashers, Curriers, Cordwainers and Tailors. ' Category:Menevia Category:Lore